


Once Upon A December

by perductus



Series: Togafuka Week 2014 [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-19 12:04:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2387678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perductus/pseuds/perductus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Dancing Bears, painted Wings,<br/>Things I almost remember.<br/>And a song someone sings,<br/>Once upon a December."</p><p>Everyone has a song that can transport them back in time, whether you remember it or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon A December

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR6imPYq4_0 I suggest you listen to it either before, after or during this fic.

It was a well-known fact that most of the rooms in the school were soundproof. The heavy doors and insulated walls provided almost complete silence in dorms and classrooms alike, proving useful for preventing boisterous students in the corridors disrupting classes or clubs.

In their current situation, it proved most useful for masking the screams of a victim.

So when Byakuya Togami heard music drifting down the hallway from the music room, the first thing that crossed his mind was the fact that he shouldn’t be able to hear it at all. Who on earth was playing the piano at this time of night? Were there even any musicians left in the remaining quota of students?

The melody was haunting, like an old music box. It sounded vaguely familiar. He furrowed his brow. Familiar, yet he couldn’t think from where. Perhaps it was a song he might have heard on the radio, or on the television.

He found himself standing just outside the entrance. The music was clearer now, but with still no clue where he might have heard it before.

A voice chimed in with the piano’s refrain, softly singing matching lyrics to the tune.

_“Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember,”_

A glance over his shoulder; no one was around. There was no reason to be – it was just past nighttime, and if they were all as committed to their petty rules as they claimed, none of them would be venturing out.

Satisfied with the deserted corridor, Byakuya pushed the door open and slipped into the music room.

The room was dimly lit, the only light casting its beam across the grand piano situated on the stage. A figure sat at it, fingers darting across the keys, voice drifting through the room.

Touko Fukawa.

It didn't seem she'd noticed Byakuya’s presence. He remained in the shadow of the entrance, curious to see how long she would continue. He was surprised to say the least – Touko didn’t strike him as a singer. Yet she managed to hold a steady tune, and her singing skill was almost nice.

_“And a song someone sings, once upon a…”_

Byakuya let the door click shut, and the music came to an abrupt halt as Touko’s head whipped around to face the entrance. The door shutting might as well have been a gunshot, as she scrambled away from the piano, nearly tripping on her skirt in the process.

‘B-B-Byakuya-sama…!!’ Touko wrung her hands together. ‘H-How long have… you b-been standing there?’

‘Not long.' Byakuya began to move away from the entrance, towards the front of the small auditorium. 'I was passing by, but you left the door open.’

Touko’s restless hands bunched handfuls of her skirt. ‘I’m s-sorry you had to be subjected to…’ A self-conscious hand hovered against her throat. ‘I m-mean…’ She scurried towards the edge of the raised platform. ‘I’ll g-go…’

‘You didn’t finish the song,’ Byakuya stated, coming to a stop in front of the stage, arms folded.

Touko paused. ‘N-No, I didn’t… B-But surely Byakuya-sama doesn’t w-want to hear Fukawa-chan’s poor attempts at music?’

‘Why would I have bothered coming in here otherwise?’

Touko stared at him, mouth hanging slightly open.

‘Well? Are you just going to stand there gormlessly or are you going to finish the song?’

‘Y-You… really w-want to h-hear it??’

‘If you’re just going to spew your usual nonsense I shall leave.’

She didn’t need telling twice.

Byakuya stepped up onto the stage as Touko returned to the piano’s chair. He positioned himself at the end of the keys, leaning against the lid of the gleaming black instrument.

A pause. Touko stared at the keys in front of her, hands suspended over them.

‘Well?’ Byakuya prompted.

Touko jumped. ‘Y-Yes…’ She cleared her throat and let her hands drop and picked up the song from where she left off.

_“Someone holds me safe and warm, horses prance through a silver storm,”_

It was timid, lacking the control from earlier. Evidently nervous now she had an audience, Touko’s fingers would slip every so often, puncturing the otherwise sweet melody with jarring sharps or flats. Byakuya hadn’t been expecting much, especially not while he stood mere inches away from where she struggled with the notes.

Of course, he was comparing her to him, which would put anyone in a bad light. As part of his many extracurricular lessons as a child, piano was among the many musical instruments he was taught to play.

Though as Touko got into the swing of it, the amount of missed notes decreased, and the air of apprehension gently ebbed away, giving way to the steady poise she’d possessed when he first entered the room.

_“Figures dancing gracefully, across my memory,”_

She appeared to forget his presence, eyes focused on the piano, her voice not wavering as much as it did before.

Byakuya watched her, his head tilted slightly. The vibrations from the piano hummed against his resting palm, tingling at his skin, evoking a strange feeling. A feeling of familiarity just like he felt at the entrance.

He blinked.

The lighting in the room changed. It was brighter, less gloomy. He glanced down at Touko to find she wore different clothes. Her grubby purple uniform replaced with a slightly cleaner brown one. She caught his eye and he blinked again.

_“Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember,”_

He was sat facing the keys, Touko beside him. She continued to play, still wearing that unrecognizable, yet, entirely familiar brown uniform that matched his own.

Her fingers darted across the keys, voice lilting as something resembling a smile darted across her features.

Emotions he hadn’t felt for a long time fought to surface; emotions he couldn’t even name. Emotions as unfamiliar, yet as familiar, as the melody. The music circled his head, filling his mind so the only thing he could comprehend was the music… and Touko.

_“Things my heart used to know,”_

Touko, who bore a smile. Touko, who played the melody with control, barely a trace of a stutter. Touko, who felt so warm leaning against him as his hand secured her waist, pulling her closer because there was no killing game, no mastermind, no Monokuma—

_“Things it yearns to remember—”_

An abrupt silence.

‘…B-Byakuya-sama?’ Touko’s voice echoed. ‘Are… are you alright?’

Eyes snapped open. He stood at the side of the piano again. Touko’s uniform was purple. A quick glance into the corner of the room told him they were still being monitored. He realised his hands clutched his head.

‘I’m perfectly fine.’ Byakuya’s arms dropped to his sides.

Touko chewed her bottom lip, knuckles brushing against her chin. ‘Y-You looked uncomfortable, s-so I stopped…’

Averting his eyes from her, Byakuya cleared his throat. ‘Do you not understand even the basics of musical performance?’ If he didn’t look at her then he wouldn’t have to think of how her body felt pressed against his. ‘It’s basic etiquette to finish the song once you’ve started.’

Even though he was looking at a point over her head, he could still feel her eyes boring into him.

‘…Are you sure? I’ve s-surely taken up enough of your e-evening already—‘

‘Just finish the song!’ Byakuya’s voice bounced off the back walls and ceiling of the auditorium.

Nodding her head fervently, Touko’s fingers returned to the keys. She took a deep breath, casting a nervous glance at Byakuya.

_“…and a song someone sings…’_

The notes floated from the open lid of the piano, Touko’s voice carrying them into the darkness of the music room ceiling.

She paused, looking up again at him. He allowed their eyes to meet. What he saw with closed eyes was nothing more than a lapse of control. His imagination running wild in light of being incarcerated for too long. That’s all.

But the song... He knew where he heard it before. Not on the radio and not on the television.

No, it had been in this music room, on this piano where he’d heard it.

Heard it played by Touko Fukawa.

_“…Once upon a December.”_

**Author's Note:**

> I know it isn't very likely that Fukawa would know this song but I couldn't get the idea for this fic out of my head so here we are. 
> 
> (also I did cut out a chunk of said song so if you're confused, that's why)
> 
> This was written for day 3 of Togafuka week for the prompt "music".


End file.
